Gentlemen, it is time for me to make a choice... but I need some help!

My mom wants me to do Varsity Percussion.... aka A-Line. This consists of drum line, and pit instruments. I would be on electric bass obviously.

I don't really want to do it... but my mom really wants me to.

All I would really have to do is play CRAP LOADS of bass. I'm talking after school two days a week, a lot of 12 hour days on a saturday... no spring break, and then coming to school at 6:45 in the morning to practice. It is intense shizzle. This lasts most of second semester...

Also, there is a $400 contribution fee to be in the group, so it is quite a sacrifice.

yesterday, as we were driving back from dropping off my girlfriend, elvis comes on the radio. I say "If I learn to play like this guy, will you get me a drum set?" and she says "If you do A-line, I would get you a drum set"

So, I am now in the middle of a dilemma.. if I do the percussion thing, I will have barely anytime for anything else. no friends, no going out, no hockey games, nothing. my life will be a-line.

I really want a drum set... but I also wanted to get a job since i will be 16 in a couple weeks... And even if i got a job then bought my own set, she probably wouldn't let me keep it here just because i didn't get the set by her method...

Only do it if YOU want to do it. Don't do it because your mom wants you to, or because you will get a drum set. Don't NOT do it because you don't think you'll see your girlfriend enough--you'll regret it later when you realize just how fruitless your relationship really was. Speaking from experience here bud.

Doing something that requires that much of a commitment is something that you have to WANT to do. You can learn to play drums later in life when you have the money to buy it yourself AND a place to keep it yourself.

Originally posted by Mike Money I sorta do want to do it... its just that there is so much other stuff i want to do that i want to do just as badly.

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Heehee...

There are tons of other things that you just "sorta" want to do "badly"?

Just messin...

Well, dude, its your call completely in that case. You are the one that has to set your priorities. You shouldn't listen to anybody here that says not to do it because only *you* know what it's really like and how much you think you'll enjoy it. That is a huge commitment, but in my opinion would be loads of fun too. Good friends are made through all that commitment. Good enemies are too

Either way, make sure you're going to enjoy it. You only get to go through high school once--make good use of it.

I have to agree with Ty. Parents should never push children into extracurricular activities, and they definatley should never bribe them into it. I would go off on a tagent about that but I'm going to be leaving for an audition in a few minutes.

As far as the time thing; in my experience during my senior year, I got an offer to play bass in the pit orchestra for a production of Grease. I spent about 2-3 days after school practicing, A good chunk of Saturday's, and near the end about 6 days a week at school practicing. (including Sundays) I also spent about 4+ hours a day rehearsing alone on my own time. I still had a social life, I remained on the honor roll, I was Music & Business Student of the month. It was a great experience: I played with a load of talented people, I got a lot of recognition (I was the token "quiet introvert" at my school), I got praised by all the local musicians, I got offers to play in other projects, my chart reading abilities went up 500%, and I got the thrill of playing to a packed auditorium every night. (and I got to break in my new bass that I got just a couple of months prior )

Either way, I'll echo everyone's idea: Do it if you want not, but don't do it to please anyone else.

Originally posted by LiquidMidnight As far as the time thing; in my experience during my senior year, I got an offer to play bass in the pit orchestra for a production of Grease. I spent about 2-3 days after school practicing, A good chunk of Saturday's, and near the end about 6 days a week at school practicing. (including Sundays) I also spent about 4+ hours a day rehearsing alone on my own time. I still had a social life, I remained on the honor roll, I was Music & Business Student of the month. It was a great experience: I played with a load of talented people, I got a lot of recognition (I was the token "quiet introvert" at my school), I got praised by all the local musicians, I got offers to play in other projects, my chart reading abilities went up 500%, and I got the thrill of playing to a packed auditorium every night. (and I got to break in my new bass that I got just a couple of months prior )

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Man, you must be living in fairyland. I've been in two school pit orchestras. I can't really say my sight-reading chops improved, only one person outside of the production/family recognized that I was in the pit, the community service branch only gives 15 hours of community service total (for 70-90 hours of rehearsals/performances put into each one), on some days the pit didn't get food, but the cast and crew did. The first production had some decent musicians, but they graduated, leaving a really "cruddy" drummer for the second one. The 450-seat theater was packed for all 13 shows, and the second one sold out quicker than any other past musical.

Mike, I'd only do the marching band thing if it would improve your skills quite a bit. If not, I'd spend that time playing with musicians/projects that will help your skills.

You stand to benefit most in the long term if you do it. It will improve your musical skills and give you a taste of what a commitment to being a musician can mean. When you're all through, you'll be able to look back with a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. You'll know a little more about yourself, too.

You know, that sleazy girlfriend of yours is going to blast you off within six months anyway (she's already got her eye on your best friend), and the burger-flipping job will get you just enough quarters to pop into the pinball machine. When you look back, you'll see you just frittered away a year or two of your life with nothing to show for it.

My analogy is the choice between spending a thousand bucks to go to Vegas, or spend a thousand bucks on a new amp. Sure enough, I would have a real good time for a weekend in Vegas, but when I got home, I'd have empty pockets and the realization that I just farted $1K on nothing. I could've just spent the weekend flushing dollar bills down my toilet. On the other hand, if I had spent the $1K on an Eden WT-800, I'd be able to go into my practice room a year later and plug in.

It's about self-discipline and (shudder) maturity.

p.s. If you take the bribe, make her pay you whatever you would've made at the job in addition to the drum set.

Mike-you can handle it. I've been doing something very similar for the past 2 years [i got my job the week i turned 16]. I am in Marching Band, Jazz Band, Show Band, and First Edition Band. What that translates into is i tend to have @ least a few days a week of 3hr rehearsels. If it's marching band season i will be at school or at a school function from 10AM till about 1-2Am on Saturday. During the week it's after school till 6:30PM. This is fun though. Your job can fit in around that [hopefully]. During MB i generally just worked on Sundays and Mondays. The fun part-School work: do it either right after school or after rehearsel.

My job is at the mall so i am graced by the fact that we close @ 9 unless if it's a special time of the year such as now when we close at 10.

The band can only improve your skills. I've learned a bunch of things through just playing for all sorts of bands. The more you can get into your musical vocabulary the more you can be prepared to speak later. [cheesey and fairly out there but hey]
Story Time: My freshman year [i'm a junior now] i didn't really know anything about playing bass and even posted some threads here that are better left forgotten, i was in all the bands i am now then as i was the only bassist as the rest of them graduated the year before and the band directors picked me. I had a few really dive bombs that fell like a bowling ball dropped from a plane and resulted in my teacher rewriting a part in a way that i could play it. However, from doing all the bands i now have a ever increasing vocabulary of things that i know and can use. If you don't learn you'll never know. Dig it?

so, i am not a guy....but i have an opinion on this. don't do it just because your mom wants you to. and don't worry about being able to do things. you can find time. if your worried about losing your girl because you wont get to spend as much time with her, you wont, and if you do....she wasn't right for you. believe me, she will back you up all the way. do what you wnat...have faith in yourself.